In this episode, Wendy speaks with Buddhist scholar and meditation teacher Liz Monson. Liz is one of the pioneers in combining Buddhist teachings with nature-based practices, and her work helps us connect in an embodied way to the fundamental interconnectedness of the world. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• how spirituality and connection to nature fed into her path to Buddhism;
• nature-based practices in the Buddhist tradition;
• moving beyond human-centrism;
• the energies of the natural world;
• the sandcastle of the constructed self;
• why human beings are really here;
• lessons about human nature from 9/11;
• wisdom from the trees;
• practices to connect with the elements of nature;
• working with elemental energies to understand emotions;
• understanding the divine masculine and feminine archetypes;
• psychedelics and meditation as complementary pathways toward awakening;
• an experiential approach to suffering and healing;
• and the need for self-compassion and love.

Full show notes and resources

In this episode, Wendy speaks with cognitive and affective scientist Christy Wilson-Mendenhall. Christy has a long history studying emotions, and her work integrates psychological science and contemplative philosophy to explore well-being and resilience. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• integrating basic science and philosophy with on-the-ground research;
• viewing emotions as malleable, situated, and learned;
• working with emotions to enhance well-being;
• intersections of cognitive science and Buddhist philosophy;
• the critical role of community and relationships;
• understanding deep resilience;
• a free online course to help build resilience and emotional well-being;
• making worldview explicit;
• foregrounding interconnectedness when teaching;
• the power of emotional granularity;
• eco-anxiety, eco-grief, and solastalgia;
• the role of imagination and visioning;
• priming ourselves for a better future;
• taking seriously and learning from the perspective of marginalized folks;
• and making small personal changes to effect systems change.

Full show notes and resources

In this episode, Wendy speaks with professor, writer, and thought leader Karen O’Brien. Karen is an expert on the human and social dimensions of climate change, and her work helps us understand the role of the mind and worldview in how we create and respond to environmental change, and global change more broadly. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• her path into environmental studies and understanding how humans respond to climate change;
• consequences of a reductionist worldview;
• understanding quantum social change;
• entanglement, and relationships as a fundamental aspect of our world;
• the importance of ethics and values in a system;
• our power as individuals to change systems;
• exploring causality and challenging the 'single cause';
• why the way we show up matters;
• how contemplative practice can help us embody transformative change;
• envisioning a new paradigm;
• Indigenous wisdom and interconnected views of nature;
• emotional difficulties in deeply accepting an interconnected reality;
• acknowledging and working with eco-grief and eco-anxiety;
• living with uncertainty;
• challenges in measuring transformative change;
• art as a lens to understanding;
• and the many possibilities for scaling change into societies.

Full show notes and resources